OREANDA-NEWS. February 24, 2010. Belarus has paid in full for the Russian gas consumed in January, First Deputy Director General, Chief Engineer of Beltransgaz Tsvitomir Sorokhan told reporters on 24 February.

“We act in a strict compliance with the contract. We have transferred the due amount of money for the natural gas bought in January to Gazprom,” the Beltransgaz First Deputy Director General said.

In Q1 2010 Belarus will pay about USD 168 per 1,000 cubic meters of Russian gas, Tsvitomir Sorokhan added. In his words, Belarus paid this price for the gas in January. Belarus keeps pushing for a lower gas price in 2010. “Belarus proceeds with the negotiations on the price reduction,” Tsvitomir Sorokhan said.

The contract price for the gas may edge up by USD 4 in Q2 2010 taking into the consideration the fluctuations of oil prices. Tsvitomir Sorokhan underlined that Belarus continues negotiating the drop in gas prices.